When his guards shoved him again, he balked and knocked aside a spear. Tanefer turned, drawing his dagger at the noise.
'Where are you taking me?' Meren demanded. 'I've said I would join you. Release me now.'
Tanefer strolled back to him, slapping his palm with the flat of his dagger blade. 'I think not. I've had time to consider, and despite your so-graceful submission, I think I'll feel better if it's accompanied by a complete estrangement from pharaoh.'
Meren stared at his friend. 'So you're going to make him hate me.'
Tanefer laughed. 'Perhaps. But first I'll keep you awhile. If you vanish from sight without warning, pharaoh will have good cause to look upon you in a manner like to Ahiram. After ten days or so, I'll release you. Then, no matter how dear you are to him, he'll never be able to trust you again.'
'And he won't believe me if I tell him about you,' Meren said.
'Also, if you betray me,' Tanefer said, 'your interference will come too late. In ten days I'll have my men gathered outside the city.' He stopped and glanced around. 'Enough of this chatter. It's almost dark. I couldn't risk moving you in daylight, you know. Your face is too well known.'
Meren felt the tip of a spear poke him in the back. From somewhere beyond the high walls that blocked his view of the street, the din of cat fury began again. He took a step toward the chariot, moving away from the guards. As he moved, he heard a familiar twang and hiss. The guard behind him grunted and toppled as an arrow took him in the chest. Another arrow flew past, just missing the second guard.
At the same time, Meren twisted around and grabbed the second guard's spear. Before the man could respond, he'd yanked the weapon from his grasp. The guard drew a knife from his belt. Hampered by his bonds, Meren jumped back, hefted the spear, and shoved it. The tip caught the man in the thigh. He screamed and dropped to the ground. Around him he heard the war cries of his charioteers and saw men scaling the guard walls.
The second guard's knife was lying beside him. Meren dropped to one knee and reached for it with his bound hands. The edge of a blade descended in front of him and pressed into his neck. As it did, he heard Ky-sen's voice call a halt to the charioteers. He heard Tanefer whisper in his ear.
'Don't, old friend. I don't wish to kill you.'
The edge of the dagger sliced into his skin, bringing a searing sting. Blood seeped between his flesh and the blade, trickled down his neck. He drew his hands back from the knife as his regret at having to fight Tanefer vanished in his fury.
'Now,' said Tanefer, 'rise slowly.'
'Damnation to you, Tanefer.'
'I know, brother of my heart. This grieves me as well. Forgive me.'
Tanefer's arm slipped around his throat and shoved his chin up, further exposing his neck. Meren stood and Tanefer turned him so that they faced Kysen and half a dozen charioteers scattered between the house and the guard walls. The chariot was standing by, but only because the horses had been tethered.
Tightening his grip on Meren, Tanefer called out. 'Well done, Ky, but you should have killed me first.'
Kysen began to walk toward them, and Meren felt the blade sink deeper into his flesh. Charioteers started closing in on them. He set his jaw, refusing to cry out as Tanefer wished. Then the blade lifted, swiftly. Like the strike of a hunting cat, Tanefer's blade jabbed.
Meren felt it pierce his flesh high on his shoulder. He heard Kysen shout.
This time he couldn't prevent a cry from escaping as the dagger embedded itself and then withdrew. Stunned, Meren felt his body stiffen. His hands came up to press against the wound. Blood wet them. Figures rushed at him, but Tanefer stopped them by returning the dagger to Meren's throat.
'Forgive me, Ky,' Tanefer was saying, 'I do regret causing Meren pain, but this is the most efficient solution to my dilemma. Now you must allow me to go to my yacht unhindered, for that's the only way your father will live. If you try to prevent me, I'll simply delay, and if that happens, the way Meren's bleeding… Well, do you wish to risk it?'
'No.'
'I thought not. Now drop your weapons. All of you move back to the wall. Meren, we're going to my chariot. You will drive. That's why I kept your wound shallow.'
'You've lost,' Meren said through clenched teeth. 'Don't make things worse.'
'You're mistaken. Look at your son, he'd hand me the sun boat of Ra if it would save your life.'
Tanefer began to drag him sideways toward the chariot. It was almost nightfall now, and he could hardly see Kysen or anyone else. His thoughts raced while he fought the pain of his wound. He was fast losing strength. If he was going to fight, it would have to be now. He was about to grab Tanefer's dagger arm when he heard a sound- phhhht. Tanefer jumped and gasped as an arrow grazed his arm.
This was his chance. Meren grabbed Tanefer's dagger. He shoved it away and twisted to face his opponent at the same time. He heard Kysen shouting, but he and
Tanefer were engaged in a battle for possession of the dagger.
Although he knew things were happening quickly, he saw them as if in a sea of chilled honey. The blade writhed in Tanefer's hands, then pointed at Meren. Without warning, Tanefer leapt on him.
Caught off guard, Meren felt his body overbalance, and he fell beneath Tanefer. He hit the ground, his head cracking against the packed earth. Desperate, he kept his grip on Tanefer's wrists. But as they struggled, he felt his strength wash from him, receding like a spent sea wave on a beach.
His hands were wet with blood, and they shook. His muscles screamed at the strain, while above him Tanefer pressed down on the dagger, aiming it at his heart. Knowing he had little time, Meren heaved upward with his whole body.
They writhed, tangling their legs and rolling. He sank beneath Tanefer's weight again. He was slammed against the ground, crying out as the impact jarred his wound. His hands slipped as they tried to deflect the dagger. He twisted the weapon at the last moment, just as the black shadow of Tanefer's body descended upon him. He felt the blade puncture flesh, glance off bone. Hot blood spilled over him. He couldn't breathe. Tanefer gasped in his ear. 'Forgive me, brother of my heart.'
'No.' He felt Tanefer's body relax and he swore.
Suddenly he was free of Tanefer's weight. Meren blinked up into torchlight. Kysen and Abu were lifting the body off him. Kysen dropped to his knees and began prodding.
'Are you hurt? Damnation, answer me!'
'I don't know.'
He winced as he tried to sit. Kysen helped him, and by the time he was upright, he realized that he wasn't seriously wounded. He watched Kysen's hands tremble while they touched the flesh near the wound on his shoulder.
A charioteer appeared with cloth, which Kysen pressed against the wound. More charioteers arrived, bearing torches. A pool of light formed, revealing Tanefer. He was lying on his back, his chest covered with blood from a wound near the heart. Meren cursed, then shook his head as his vision blurred. He couldn't remember stabbing Tanefer, but he must have.
'Gods,' Kysen said. 'I saw that arrow and started running, but you fought so quickly. By the time we got here, I thought he'd killed you.'
Meren's vision filled with the sight of Tanefer's ruined body. Crimson stained the sheer white of his robe and dappled the electrum at his wrists and neck. Death seemed such a violation in a body full of brightness, wit, and youth. Turning his face away, he allowed Kysen to bind his wound.
'This will do until Nebamun can treat you.'
Abu held a cup of water to his lips, and as Meren drank a shadow fell between him and the torchlight. He pushed the cup away and raised his eyes. Ebana stood over him, holding a bow. Kysen helped Meren stand, and together they stared at his cousin. Ebana bent down and retrieved a bloodied arrow. At the appearance of Meren's cousin, Abu and the other charioteers retreated out of hearing distance.
'It was you!' Kysen said. 'You fired that arrow at Tanefer.'
'You piqued my curiosity with your worry about your father, so I followed you,' Ebana said.
Meren leaned on Kysen and studied the scarred blankness of Ebana's expression. 'Did you try to kill him to save me, or to stop him from using you against pharaoh?'
Ebana didn't answer.
